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Urban Studies at Portland State University

Portland, OR · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Urban Studies/Affairs
47 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
48
Optimistic
47
Base Case
44
Pessimistic
Earnings $45,870/yr (12% vs median)
AI Risk High (37% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (111,900 openings/yr)
ROI 11.3x earnings multiple (4.2x out-of-state)
Ranked #12 of 25 Urban Studies/Affairs programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Urban Studies graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $509K $507K $476K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.3x 11.3x 10.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 4.2x 4.2x 3.9x
Probability of Field Employment 48% 44% 36%
DegreeOutlook Score 48 47 44

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$44,952
Out-of-state: $120,552 (4.2x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$51,728
-15% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$25,000
6.5 months of Year 1 earnings

About Portland State University

Portland State University has a 91% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, with a mid-sized student body of 13,619 in Portland, OR.

See all programs and financial aid at Portland State University →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr
Sociologists $101,690/yr
Urban and regional planners $83,720/yr
View all 4 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 25 schools offering Urban Studies →

Urban Studies at Other Schools

University of California-Berkeley ($58,171) San Francisco State University ($50,008) Brown University ($48,731) University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($47,585) University of Washington-Tacoma Campus ($47,585) California State University-Northridge ($46,826) University of Nevada-Las Vegas ($46,712) Rutgers University-Camden ($44,263)

Other Majors at Portland State University

Computer Engineering ($87,259) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($82,853) Computer Science ($78,669) Mechanical Engineering ($73,079) Civil Engineering ($67,509) Physics ($62,749) Accounting and Related Services ($58,069) Finance and Financial Management Services ($52,859)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Urban Studies at Portland State University?
A score of 47/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Urban Studies. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Urban Studies careers?
With 37% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $475,516 in decade earnings vs $508,573 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →